Self-closing vapor controlling cap



Nov. 18, 1969 P. J. MOLE 3,478,922

SELF-CLOSING VAPOR CONTROLLING CAP Filed Jan. 15, 1968 NVEN TOR.

fhilip J. Mole %M 77/5 Attorney- United States Patent O 3,478,922 SELF-CLOSING VAPOR CONTROLLING CAP Philip J. Mole, 2517 N. 78th Ave., Elmwood Park, 111. 60635 Filed Jan. 15, 1968, Set. N0. 697,746 Int. Cl. B65d 51/18 U.S. Cl. 220-86 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A self-closable cap or cover for gas tanks with a selfclosing flexible valve means auxiliary to and normally below a pivoted manually operated rigid closure to prevent escape of volatile gases from gas tanks during fuel filling operations, and having a separate rigid upper closure.

This invention is directed to novel self-closing covers or caps adapted for gasoline tanks mounted on motor vehicles or on tanks which are portable or stationary, and which will prevent escape of volatile fuel vapors during refilling thereof and while the tanks are in use or are stationary.

Objects of my invention are:

(a) To provide self-closing caps or covers for liquid fuel tanks which include a rigid apertured outer cover or cap and a flexible segmented inner disk-like inner cover having radial slits and in which the flexible segments or flaps will bend when pressed by a nozzle or the like and which will return to adjacent closing positions into substantially a common plane when a filling nozzle or other pressing member is withdrawn to thereby prevent escape of vapors of a volatile liquid fuel and also eliminate the pollution of the air of nearby areas and substantially reduce the loss of fuel due to evaporation during the filling of such tanks with volatile fuels.

(b) To provide novel self-closing caps h'aving selfclosing flexible members which yieldably press against rigid fuel filling nozzles while the nozzles are partially inserted in the tank openings to substantially reduce evaporation during filling operations, and which will bend to fully close the normal tank openings immediately upon withdrawal of pump nozzles, and which said flexible members include a peripherally secured portion and a number of inwardly extending integral flexible partially triangular flaps or segments which terminate in adjacent apices at the center whose edges contact each other when in a common plane to thereby seal the neck openings of tanks against evaporation and pollution of air of adjacent areas.

(c) To provide self-closing oaps as described in the preceding paragraph and having a rigid metal ring clamping and securing the peripheral portions of said flap or segment-bearing member against the inner face of an outer passaged metal cover, and which has an inner collar or flange having oppositely projecting lugs for releasable engaging annular flanges of the neck defining a tank opening.

Other and further important objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description and appended clauses.

On the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of my novel cap showing the movable seal in open position.

FIG. 2 is a view looking at the under side of said cap and showing flexible members in closed position.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and illustrating a portion of a nozzle inserted through the cap.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating a portion of the upper seal and illustrating pivotal and spring means for same.

3,478,922 Patented Nov. 18, 1969 Numeral 10 designates a rigid outer cap or cover which has an integral peripheral flange 11 and having a central passage or aperture 15 normally depending and preferably formed of metal and preferably having two integral oppositely projecting lugs 12 to facilitate manual gripping and rotation of the cap for mounting and quick removal.

Said cap carries a normally depending n'gid inner coll'ar' or ring 13, which has integral teeth, lugs or abutments 14 projecting in diametrically opposite directions which is adapted to removably engage inwardly extending leveled flanges formed on the neck of most fuel tanks so as ito selectively secure the cap tightly on the tank neck. Said inner ring extends from the underside of the rigid cap 10 adjacent the annular edges of the inlet opening 15 thereof.

A relatively thin passaged annular disc-like member orvalve element 16 made from flexible rubber-like material has its edge portion mounted against the inside face of the cap 10, preferably by means of an apertured metal ring 17 is suitably secured against the peripheral portion of valve member 16, preferably by rivets 23 extending through it and into suitable apertures formed in cap 10. Said flexible valve element or member 16 is cut through along a plurality radial lines 19 extending outwardly from a central apex to points a short distance inward from the periphery of said valve member 16 so as to form inwardly extending bendable flexible flaps or tongues 20, which are of substantially triangular shape, and which because of the natural tendency of the rubber-like material to return to original position, will normally close the central opening thereof, and the opening through said cap 10.

When a fuel filling nozzle, illustrated by numeral 21, is pushed through the opening of cap 10, the flexible flaps 20 will be bent inwardly as illustrated in FIG. 3, though will maintain themselves in contact with the inserted nozzle to thereby substantially prevent the escape of fuel vapor from within the tank during filling operations.

During fuel filling operations this sealing engagement also prevents the contamination and pollution of area in nearby areas and avoids the undesirable smell of fuel vapor and eliminates the hazard of ignition and explosion of the fuel vapor caused by persons who may be smoking nearby.

An additional sealing means is provided for the cap and in one preferred form comprises a fiat annular metal cover or plate 24 which is movably connected to a peripheral portion of the cap 10* by means of one of the pins or loose rivets 25 which is sufliciently long to extend through ring 17 and through said cover and extends through a hole in cap 10 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 to thereby permit said cover 24 to be manually moved into and from open positions, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and to closed sealing position upon upper part of cap 10 to additionally seal the opening 15 when a nozzle is withdrawn.

Flat cover 24 preferably has a grippable projection or knob 26 to facilitate manual movement of said cover 24 to and from sealing position.

Said upper sealing means for the opening 15, in the modified form thereof, shown in FIG. 4, comprises a flat rigid cover 27 having a passaged integral hinge knuckle 28, through which a transverse pivoting pin 29 is mounted. The edge portion of cap 10 carries a pair of spaced apart apertured ears 30 in whose aligned apertures said pivot pin 29 is mounted. A metal spring 31 is mounted about said pin 29 and one of its ends bear against cover 27 to normally press said cover to closed sealing position to close opening 15.

It will be understood that the described cap and the novel sealing means shown and described may be economically manufactured and will provide a complete means for selectively sealing the inlet portions for volatile fuel tanks and will eliminate the pollution of air near fuel pumps and vehicles by greatly reducing the escape of objectionable vapors during fuel filling and transfer operations.

I claim:

1. A metal cover adapted for closing openings of gasoline tanks comprising a cap or the like; said cap having an integral normally depending flange and a central enlarged opening; 1

an annular ring-like metal member connected to the inner face of said cap with its opening concentric with the opening of said cap;

a self-closing member of flexible rubber-like material secured between said annular member and the inner faces of said metal cap and normally closing the opening through said cap, said annular member having a plurality of flexible substantially triangular flaps with their apexes extending toward the middle of said member, and being adapted to return to normally [closing position after being bent by insertion there-through of a liquid nozzle or the like;

said annular ring-like member having an integral inner flange, said annular inner flange having integral projecting lugs adapted to be releasably engaged by portions of gasoline tanks; and a separate rigid closure pivotally connected to the outer and normally upper face of said cap and adapted to close the central opening of said cap. 2,. A self-closing cover substantially as recited in claim 1 and wherein said annular ring-like member comprises an annular metal ring; said rubber-like member having radial slits merging in a central apex and the flexible flaps of said rubber-like member being normally in adjacent contacting positions to normally close the opening in said cap against passage therethrough of volatile vapor from within a tank.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,431,573 10/ 1922 Dunfee 22086 1,450,857 4/1923 Johnson.

2,224,385 12/ 1940 Greenberg 22086 X 2,458,245 1/ 1949 Bordelon 22086 X 2,576,192 11/1951 Poznik 22086 2,593,712 4/ 1952 Wells et al. 22086 3,334,779 8/1967 Smith 22086 RAPHAEL H. SCHWARTZ, Primary Examiner 

